Instagram makes it easy to take and share unique pictures

I have a half dozen photography apps on my iPhone 3GS, but most of them suffer from the same issue – they give me too many options. I generally have a point and shoot camera with me, so I’m not looking to get expert pictures with my phone. I’m generally just looking to capture a moment, or share it in a unique perspective. (It’s a bonus if there is a way to take my low quality image and make it look interesting.)

Previously my photo ap of choice was CameraBag, but it doesn’t have a lot of obvious share functions. I recently I noticed quite a few of my friends sharing pictures on Facebook and Twitter from Instagram, so finally gave in and downloaded the free app. I secretly wish I could memorize the output of all the combinations of paid package options I’ve stocked up on for Hipstamatic. Unfortunately, until I figure out how to do that the application is more trial and error to get something to look good and when I want to share, I don’t want to fiddle.

Instagram makes it easy to take pictures that look interesting and share them in a variety of places.

I can take pictures directly in the application or load and scale an image from my photo gallery and apply one of 15 different filters, each with a different framing effect. You can title and geotag your picture and then upload it to Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Tumblr or a few other places. Instantly creating a short link, the shared image is placed online with a map (if geotagged) and stored as part of your profile.

You can connect with other Instagram users, searching your social network friend lists or finding interesting photographers through the popular images section. The application feed displays the images of the people you are following and you can like and comment on the images. You can access all your photos and photos that you have liked through your application, and each photo you take is stored in your phone’s photo roll.

Unfortunately, at this time, there is no online display for instagram photo collections, so I have created a Flickr set dedicated to my Instagram images. (Your online profile has a limited set of personal options.) Each image uploaded through the application to Flickr is automatically tagged as an instagram upload, and I can search and add these to my set periodically.

This application has reinvigorated my desire to try and document the obscure memories in my days a bit more. I’ve done many photo projects in the past like the 52 weeks project that required regular image capture, but always found myself forgetting a lot or giving up. Instagram is so much fun and makes it easy to share imagery, I didn’t realize until my collection was growing how much it was resembling the regular image projects.

Are you on instagram? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to follow you! If you’re not already a user but you have an iPhone, check out a little bit about it and get the free download right away!

It’s a fast, beautiful and fun way to share your life with friends through a series of pictures.

7 million users love Instagram! It’s a free, fun, and simple way to make and share gorgeous photos on your iPhone.

Pick from one of several gorgeous filtered effects or tilt-shift blur to breathe a new life into your mobile photos. Transform everyday moments into works of art you’ll want to share with friends and family.

Share your photos in a simple photo stream with friends to see – and follow your friends’ photos with the click of a single button. Every day you open up Instagram, you’ll see new photos from your closest friends, and creative people from around the world.